Baz pops to the top in wet FP3

Loris Baz returns Ten Kate Racing to the top of the times in an albeit unrepresentative final practice session at Misano
Baz pops to the top in wet FP3

Full Misano World Superbike FP3 results

Loris Baz has returned Ten Kate Racing to the top of the times in an albeit unrepresentative final practice session at Misano following overnight rain.

The Misano circuit remained wet due to heavy rain despite the weather relenting by the time the 20-minute session started. With the rest of the race weekend forecast to remain dry, a number of riders opted not to head out into the session including Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes.

But the mixed conditions didn’t stop Baz who bolted to the fastest time with a 1m 46.484s on the Ten Kate SBK Yamaha just 0.031s ahead of Alex Lowes for Pata Yamaha.

Lowes acts as the sole Pata Yamaha rider following Michael van der Mark’s nasty high-side in FP2, having been the fastest rider on Friday, with the Dutch rider out with a fractured right wrist, fractured ribs and concussion.

World Superbike championship leader Alvaro Bautista slotted into third spot in FP3 for Aruba.it Racing Ducati in front of Alessandro Delbianco on the Althea Mie Honda as Marco Melandri rounded out the top five for GRT Yamaha.

With one eye on Superpole qualifying later this morning, most riders opted for a conservative FP3 session with track conditions expected to dry up in the hot temperatures.